Over the past six years, I’ve had the privilege and responsibility of engaging in tender, often difficult conversations about sexuality, brokenness, and trauma. Yet few topics generate as much sensitivity and debate as the concept of “marital debt.”
A sensitive conversation: What is ‘marital debt’?
“Marital debt” is the Christian term for the concept that spouses have an obligation to fulfill each other’s sexual needs. But what does this really mean? Does such an obligation exist? If so, are there conditions that should be placed on it? How should couples approach this responsibility in the context of a loving marriage?
The concept necessarily brings up whether or not this obligation exists, and what conditions might be placed on it, along with the dynamics it might create between spouses. While this article cannot fully unpack the depth of this topic, we can begin by exploring its meaning, the challenges it presents, and the healthy perspective that should shape our understanding of sex in marriage.
What does the Bible say about marital debt?
The primary biblical source on marital debt is St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians:
“The husband should fulfill his duty toward his wife, and likewise the wife toward her husband. A wife does not have authority over her own body, but rather her husband, and similarly a husband does not have authority over his own body, but rather his wife.” (1 Cor. 7:3-4)
St. Thomas Aquinas later affirmed this teaching, writing in his Summa Theologiae that “husband and wife are mutually bound to the payment of the marriage debt.”
At first glance, the language of “debt” in relation to sex can feel transactional and even troubling. But looking at it through a different lens reveals a more profound meaning. Rather than a duty to be demanded, it is a responsibility to be lovingly stewarded—a mutual gift rather than an obligation imposed on one spouse by the other.
A relationship, not a transaction
As St. Paul says, a man and woman in a marriage have a certain sacred “ownership” over one another, not for the sake of use, but for the sake of caring for one another in every aspect of their personhood. True marital intimacy is not about demanding or owing but about mutual love and self-giving. This care and regard for the other person over oneself is exactly what cultivates a healthy, happy relationship—but it must be mutual.
Aquinas affirms this truth, emphasizing that any “ownership” spouses have over one another must always be “consistent with the welfare of the person.” In other words, sex in marriage should never be about coercion or obligation but about prioritizing each other’s good.
This is where a misunderstanding of marital debt can lead to harm. If one spouse believes they have the right to sex regardless of the other’s emotional or physical state, they are distorting the very nature of this teaching. Instead, a healthy marriage recognizes that sex should be an expression of love that respects each spouse’s needs and circumstances.
Navigating sexual rejection and understanding needs
It’s objectively hard to initiate sex only to be turned down. If one spouse turns down the other frequently, it can deepen the feelings of rejection and become a source of deep hurt in the relationship.
However, these moments should invite conversation rather than leading to frustration or resentment. Is the refusal due to some straightforward issue – illness, exhaustion, or stress? Or is there a deeper reason, like a lack of emotional connection or a resentment that needs to be addressed? Is there an unspoken need? When a spouse expresses what he or she needs to feel emotionally and physically ready for intimacy, it’s not necessarily a permanent “no,” but rather a request for support in creating the right conditions for connection.
Responding to these needs doesn’t mean sex doesn’t matter, but rather that both spouses want their sex life to be as healthy and gratifying as possible. This requires both spouses be present to one another.
Part of marriage is slowly, over time, learning about each other’s complexities—emotional, physical, sexual, and spiritual—and how to love and serve each other in all these aspects. It’s helpful for couples to have ongoing and regular discussions about their sex life, how initiation feels to the other and any obstacles that are preventing them from really enjoying and prioritizing sex. Consistent conversation and honoring each other’s sexuality treats the marital debt like a responsibility to be graciously stewarded rather than a power to be wielded.
Love, sacrifice, and the proper place of marital debt
The concept of marital debt can seem unsettling if it is isolated from the broader reality of marriage—one of mutual love, sacrifice, and self-giving. If seen as a rigid duty, it can become unloving and harsh. But when held in balance with the call to love and serve one another, it becomes a way to examine what might be hindering a fulfilling sex life.
A thriving marriage sees sex not as a debt to be paid but as a gift to be shared. When both spouses prioritize emotional, spiritual, and physical connection, intimacy becomes something that unites rather than divides.
At its heart, marital debt is not about obligation – it’s about love. And love, in its truest form, always seeks the good of the other.
Final thoughts
Sex in marriage should never be reduced to a duty, nor should it be neglected. The healthiest marriages are those in which both spouses view intimacy as a shared joy, not a burden. By fostering open communication, understanding each other’s needs, and approaching intimacy with love and patience, couples can transform their sex lives into a source of unity and grace.
Marital debt, rightly understood, is not about power or demand. It is about love, service, and the sacred bond between husband and wife – a bond that, when nurtured with care and respect, strengthens not just the marriage but the souls within it.